Loch Affric
Loch Affric | |
---|---|
River Affric | |
Basin countries | Scotland |
Max. length | 5 km (3.1 mi) |
Surface area | 2.13 km2 (0.82 sq mi) |
Average depth | 29 m (94 ft) |
Max. depth | 67.4 m (221.1 ft) |
Water volume | 6.06 km3 (1.45 cu mi) |
Surface elevation | 235 m (771 ft) |
Loch Affric is a freshwater loch within Glen Affric, in the Highland council area of Scotland. It lies about 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Beauly.[1][2] The loch sits in a national nature reserve known for being home to a number of rare species and the loch itself is popular for trout fishing.[3][4] An annual duathlon is held on the banks of the loch in May and the loch has been widely used as the backdrop in films.[5][6]
Geography
Loch Affric is one of two large lochs within Glen Affric, further up the glen to the southwest of Loch Beinn a' Mheadhoin. The
A number of smaller lochs surround Loch Affric. At the southwestern end sits Loch Coulavie located at the base An Tudair Beag and a slightly higher elevation. Also, at the southwestern end, the river Affric flows into the tiny loch of Loch na Camaig. At the northeastern side, Loch Pollan Fearna drains into Loch Affric.[2]
Much of the area around the loch is mountainous. To the north, is Sgùrr na Lapaich (1,074 m; 3,524 ft) and An Tudair (1,036 m; 3,399 ft), outlying Munro Tops of Mam Sodhail. To the south lie the Corbetts of Aonach Shasuinn (888 m; 2,913 ft) and Carn a' Choire Ghairbh (865 m; 2,838 ft).[2]
Botany & wildlife
The loch sits within the
Loch Affric is home to brown trout with fishermen reporting an average weight of a catch at 8 ounces (230 g) up to around fish weighing 5 pounds (2.3 kg). During an average fishing season around 1,000 trout are caught on the loch. Fishing is restricted to boat fishing only with permission controlled by the nearby Glen Affric Lodge.[10]
Hydro-electric development
In 1929 the building of a hydroelectric dam by the Grampian electricity supply company on Loch Affric was considered.[11] However, following public fallout regarding some schemes developed in the preceding decade in Perthshire changes were made by the board to the original scheme to flood Glen Affric. Instead of damming Loch Affric, the nearby Loch Benevean would be dammed by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board in the late 1940s resulting in a level rise of only twenty-five feet (7.6 m) and only one residential property would be lost. In turn the process of building the dam was reported to create around two-thousand jobs.[12]
Film
Loch Affric has been used as a recording location for a number of Hollywood films. These include Victoria & Abdul (2017),[13] Detective Pikachu (2019),[14] Dog Soldiers (2002) and Valhalla Rising (2009).[6]
References
- ^ Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 scale Landranger map sheet 25 Inverness
- ^ a b c d Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 scale Explorer map sheet 414 and 415
- ^ a b "Dog Falls - Forestry and Land Scotland". forestryandland.gov.scot. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
- ^ )
- ^ "Glen Affric Duathlon receives inspirational award". Inverness Courier. 28 November 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
- ^ a b "TV & Filming Locations in Scotland". www.visitscotland.com. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
- ^ "Search by A-Z | Scotland's National Nature Reserves". www.nnr.scot. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
- )
- )
- OCLC 811489952.
- OCLC 27013708.
- OCLC 817880647.
- ^ Now, Scotland (2 November 2017). "Six of 2017's most stunning movie locations in Scotland". dailyrecord. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
- ^ "Pokémon film scenes shot in Highlands". BBC News. 14 November 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2020.